The immunological response to syphilis differs by HIV status; a prospective observational cohort study

BMC Infectious Diseases

Table 1 Baseline characteristics

	Controls	Primary/Secondary syphilis			Latent Syphilis
	(n = 30)	HIV+ (n = 44)^#	HIV-(n = 10)^#	HIV+ vs. HIV-, P^$	HIV+(n = 35)^#
Men	30 (100%)	44 (100%)	9 (90%)*	0.0359	35 (100%)
Age (years)	37 (32–45)	39.5 (30.5–50.0)	34 (30–43)	0.4689	40 (35–46)
MSM	24 (80%)	44 (100%)	9 (90%)	0.0359	34 (94.7.1%)
CD4 T cell count (cells per μL)	577 (392–684)	649 (452–838)	800 (800–800)	0.4537	590 (433–691)
HIV Viral Load (copies per mL)	34 (10–814)	10 (10–53)*	NA	NA	10 (10–25)**
On Antiretroviral Therapy	24 (80%)	39 (88.6%)	NA	NA	31 (88.6%)
RPR titre	0 (0–0)	1/64 (1/32–1/128)	1/64 (1/16–1/128)	0.5556	1/64 (1/16–1/128)
Treatment				1.0
Benzathine-penicillin G	NA	44 (100%)	10 (100%)		33 (94.3%)
Doxycycline	NA	0	0		2 (5.7%)
Previous treated syphilis	NA	27 (61.3%)	3 (30%)	0.0743	24 (68.6%)
Other STIs present^a	0 (30)	1 (2.3%)	0 (0%)	0.63	2 (5.7%)
No. of sex partners prior 12 months	1.5 (1–6)	8.5 (2–26)**	6.5 (2–8)*	0.5174	7 (1–12)*

Data are n (%), median (IQR), unless otherwise stated. NA - Not Applicable
*P < 0.05, ** P < 0.005
^# P-value is for comparison with controls at baseline (Mann-Whitney U-test, excluding ‘Men’, ‘MSM’, ‘On Antiretroviral Therapy’ and ‘Other STIs’ where Fisher’s exact test used)
^$ P-value is for comparison between HIV-infected and uninfected groups (Mann-Whitney U-test, except ‘Men’, ‘MSM’, ‘Treatment’, ‘Previous treated syphilis’ and ‘Other STIs’ where Fisher’s exact test used)
^aPresence of N. gonorrhoeae or C. trachomatis in urethra, rectum or oropharynx
MSM: men who have sex with men

ISSN: 1471-2334